Returning OFWs should get travel exit clearance earlyThe POEA advises overseas Filipino workers
returning to the country for the holidays to have their overseas
employment certificate (OEC) or travel exit clearance processed
early to avoid the holiday rush.
To avoid the huge crowd at the POEA offices OFWs should secure
their exit clearance at the Philippine Overseas Labor
Office (POLO) nearest their jobsite even before their flight to
the Philippines, or as soon as they arrive in the country.
READ MORE

China targets illegal foreign workersThe Chinese government is cracking down on
illegal foreign workers, including undocumented Filipinos working as teachers and house
maids. There is a demand for teachers in China but not all
schools are allowed to hire foreigners. It prohibits foreign
nationals from doing manual labor such as those of nannies and
domestic helpers. A foreigner has to hold a working "Z" visa in
order to work in China. READ MORE ABOUT
WORKING IN CHINA

POEA not recruiting nor accepting applications for CanadaThe Canada provinces of Saskatchewan,
Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia which have signed a
memorandum of agreement with the Department of Labor and
Employment are recruiting Filipino workers through licensed
recruitment agencies and not through POEA.
Applicants may submit their applications to recruitment
agencies with approved job orders from Canadian employers.
Recruitment agencies are not allowed to collect placement fees
from workers bound for Canada.

UAE has new regulation on passports OFWs seeking
work or returning to their jobs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
are advised to check on the validity of their passports to avoid
delay, which could adversely affect their employment in the
Emirates.
The Philippine passport must be valid for not less than six months if the
OFW has no UAE residence permit. If the OFW holds a UAE special
entry permit or an employment visa, their Philippine passports
must be valid for not less than three months.
Without valid passports, OFWs will not be granted a UAE entry permit or
entry visa, which they need in order to enter the emirates and
also return to the home country or any country, which issued
their passports.

Australia not recruiting
farmers, household workers
Filipino applicants for overseas jobs should be wary of illegal
recruiters who promise jobs as farm and domestic workers in
Australia. While there are many opportunities for skilled and
professional workers in that country, many unscrupulous
recruiters offer domestic and farm jobs which are non-existent.UAE adds Hepatitis C to list of deportable
diseasesEffective July 1, 2008, the United Arab emirates will consider
hepatitis C a deportable disease in addition to the present list
that includes HIV, tuberculosis and hepatitis B. The new test
applies to all expatriates applying for residency and labor
visas, including renewal. Anyone who tests positive for
hepatitis C virus (HCV) will be deported

Filipino
tourists cannot work in RomaniaBeware of
recruiters who encourage applicants for overseas jobs to enter
Romania as tourists with the premise that a work permit will be
issued when they arrive in the country. Working in Romania
using tourist visa (short stay visa) is not possible because it
is issued only through invitation and cannot be used for a
longer stay. Filipino workers who wish to legally stay and work
in Romania should acquire the appropriate visa.
The employer needs to file with the Romanian Immigration Office a
labor permit for permanent workers (long stay visa for labor
purposes) on behalf of the foreign worker justifying the
necessity of hiring the selected worker.

Israel seeks
stiffer penalty against assault of elderly
Israel has raised the punishment for
assault of the elderly or those 65 years old and above, to five
years imprisonment. Knesset, the Israel parliament will
monitor the impact of the law and if proved ineffective, a more
severe penalty will be introduced.Prior to the passage of the bill, two cases
of maltreatment of the elderly involving Filipino caregivers
were reported in the Israeli media.

Job scams in the
internet
OFWs beware! The Philippine Overseas
Employment Administration received reports of Filipino workers
victimized by the following employment scams in the internet:Reserve Petroleum Nederland BV (www.reservpetroleum-ol.com)

Copied
the website of a legitimate maritime contracting company,
and posts fake offers for jobs in dredging and marine
projects in Europe

Uses e-mail in
recruitment (The POEA Administrator actually received such
e-mail)

Charges service fees for processing of visa

Warning against recruiter for "jobs" in
Spain
The POEA warns applicants against accepting offers from a
certain Mrs. Garcia Jose who is illegally recruiting Filipino
workers for Spain through e-mail. Mrs. Garcia promises
employment upon arrival in Spain but the supposed job orders
were found to be non-existent and the workers would leave the
country using tourist visa.

POEA suspends implementation of
new direct hiring policy
Secretary Arturo D. Brion has instructed the Philippine Overseas
Employment Administration to suspend immediately the
implementation
of POEA Memorandum Circular No. 4, Series of
2007. The POEA will process documents of directly hired Filipino workers
using the procedures used before January 15, 2008 where
repatriation and performance bonds are not required from the
employers. MC1_s2008

Egypt bans foreign domestic helpers
Egypt is not accepting domestic helpers from other countries, including
the Philippines, except those who are working for foreign diplomats,
according to the Department of Foreign Affairs. The public is urged to report to POEA any recruitment agency or
individual offering jobs for domestic helpers in Egypt.

POEA not recruiting OFWs for Canada
POEA’s
government placement facility has no job openings for Canada. Job orders for Canada are available
at DOLE-POEA licensed recruitment agencies with accredited
principals/employers.
Interested applicants may apply with these
licensed recruitment agencies or
search for job orders at our website.
Click here
for more information on working in Canada.

Total deployment ban
The Department of Labor and Employment, upon
the advice of the Department of Foreign
Affairs has ordered a total ban in the
deployment of ALL workers to Iraq,
Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Lebanon. The DOLE
also directed the POEA to take active
measures, criminal and administrative,
against recruitment agencies violating the
ban. (DOLE
MEMO)No placement fee for Canada-bound OFWs
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration warns recruitment
agencies against charging or collecting any recruitment and placement
fee from workers to be deployed to Canada and countries which have laws
that prohibit the same.
The POEA Governing
Board No. 4, Series of 2001 and the 2002 POEA Rules and Regulations
Governing the Recruitment and Employment of Land-based Overseas Workers
prohibit a land-base agency from collecting any placement fee from
workers who will be deployed in any country where the prevailing system,
either by law, policy or practice does not allow said collection because
the employer shall pay the cost of placement and recruitment services.
The prohibition is
specifically applicable to agencies that are deploying workers to the
Canada provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British
Columbia. MORE(MC3_s2007)
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